Arc-lamp.



G. A. B. HALVORSON, JR.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1907.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Fig. 2.

Inventor:

Cromwel I AB. Halvorson .Jn,

Witnesses:

mechanism for the holding clutch, the con- 7 struction-an'darrangement of thatmechan- 1 wherein:

moved toward the companion electrode a 'lowing detailed description taken in conin accordance 'wiitha preferred invention; and .Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CRoMwELL A. B. HALVORSON, in,

or LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, Ass-ienoa'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC oMPA Y, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

, Aim-LAMP.

Patented nee. 1, i908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CROMWELL A.-. B. HAL- VORSON, Jr., a citizenofthe UnitedSt-ates, residing at Lynn, county of Essex,-:State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-Lamps, of which the following isia specification. My invention relates. to electric arc lamps and particularly to that ty e wherein alifting clutch anda ho ding clutch are provided for feeding and positioning one of the electrodes.

In a common form of arc lamp, one of the electrodes, at each feeding operation, is

distance equal to the normal arc length plus an additional increment corresponding to the consumption of the electrode which has taken place since the previous feeding action. After this electrode has been brought into engagement with the companion electrode, it is againpermitted' to drop through a fixed distance which determines the normal arc length. The movement through a variable distance in the one direction isbroughtabout by a so-called lifting clutch, while the fixed movement in the. opposite direction is'controlled by a holding clutch; and, since the proper adjustment of the arc lgngth and therefore the uniformity of the light depends upon a reliable controlling ism is of the utmost importance.

The present invention has to do particularly with the control of the holding clutch, and it has for its object to provide a simple and durable arrangement of parts whereby the clutch shall at all times operate reliably and uniformly to perform. its intended functions.

.The various features of novelty which invention-and fit's' various objects and ad.- vantages, refer nce may he had to the folnection withthe accompanying drawing,

- Figure 1. shows in side elevation, the casingand globe removed,-a .lamfp equipped orm o my In the drawing 'I have. shown a wellknow'n form of luminous arc lamphaving; a non-consuming positive. electrode which vo6- ci pi'es a fixed position in the lamp, together with a. negative electrode which consumes andgives off the vapors to maintain the arc and which is intermittently fedtowards the I positive electrode to compensate for the wasting away of the electrode material of which it is composed. While my invention .is particularly applicable to lamps of this E type, it will of coursebe understood that in the broader aspects'of my invention its various features are applicable to lamps of various other types' wherein it isdesired to 'rmake use of a. holding clutch which shall permit an electrode to be. fed through vari- Referring to the drawing, 1- indicates the form and in communication with the lower end of the chimney. 5.is anelectrode hav- ;ing wings '6, 6, which are supported by the walls'ofthe, fume box. 7 is an electrode which is supported ina holder 8' beneath and able distances in onedirection and limit the f .IIIOVGIIIGIItS' of the electrode inthe opposite d rection to fixed distances.

in alinement with the upper electrode. The

holder 8 is in turn carriedby an elon ated tube 9 which projects upwardly throng the platform-and is guided at its upper end by a rod 10 which extends into it. 11 is a .clutch which is carried by the armature 12 of the feedin magnet 13 and engages with the tubular e ectrode support so as to lift ;this support and the lower electrode when the feeding magnet is energized and attracts its armature. All "the'separts may take any usual or preferred form'ssince they in themselves form no part of the present invention but are merely illustrated as, indicative of general types of elements-which go to make up an arc lamp.

The clutch 11', or lifting clutch, serves to move the electrode 7 toward the com-'- panion electrode until it is brought into engagement therewith, the extent of movement being dependent upon thedistance which A separates the electrodeswhen the movement n.' .A'second-clutch 14:,or holding. clutc is provided for controlling the movea 55 view-of the lamp and its connections. nient of the electrode 7 awayifrom the other r10 electrode when striking the arc. The holding clutch may take any desired form which will permit the supporting tube for the lower electrode to move upwards through it,

but which grips the tube and moves with it in the downward direction. The holding clutch is mounted upon no fixedsupport but is movable freely in a vertical direction between a pair of adjustable stops 15 and 16 carried upon a rod 17 which extends upwardly from the platform of the lamp. The free end of the holding clutch is pivotally connected to the lowerend of a rod or link 18 which is carried atits upper end from one end of a lever 19. The lever 19 is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a bracket 20 secured to the frame of the lamp. The end of the lever 19 opposite that to which the link 18 is secured is in the form of, or has securedthereto, an armature 21 of magnetic material which is within the field of the feeding magnet and, when this magnet is energized, is attracted thereby so as to oscillate the lever about its pivot. A dashpot 22 is secured to the lever 19' and is arranged so as to permit free oscillation of the lever in a direction which carries its armature toward the electro-magnet but to retard the oscillation of the lever in the opposite direction.

The operation of the parts described is as follows: When current is turned on the lamp, the feeding magnet is energized and, operating through the lifting clutch, raises the lower electrode until it engages with the upper electrode. At the same time the armature 21 is attracted and the lever 19 is oscillated so as to carry the link 18 and the hold- .ing clutch upwards. If desired, the attraction of the two armatures of the electromagnet may be made to occur in such a manner that the holding clutch assists the lifting clutch during the first portion of movement of the latter to raise the lower electrode. The upward movement of the holding clutch is, however, limited by the stop 15, and

. -when the holding clutch engages with this stop the further-upward movement of the electrode must be efiected bythe liftin clutch alone. The drawing shows in fufi lines the positions of the parts after the lower electrode has completed. its upward movement. When now the feeding magnet 1s deenergized, as will be hereinafter de scribed, the lifting clutch is no longer operative to support the lower electrode and this electrode begins to descend, carrying with it the holding clutch. The holding clutch is unable to drop freely because of the dashpot and, since the lower electrode can travel no faster than the holding clutch, it must also descend slowly, thereby gradually drawing 'anare between its upper end and the companion electrode. The downward movement of the parts continues until the holdtoward the other electrode,

ing clutch comes to rest upon the lower stop 16, whereupon further movement both of the holding clutch and the lower electrode ceases. The positions of the parts are now as shown in dotted lines on the drawing. After the lower electrode has burned away sufficiently tothe feeding magparts are once net is a ain ener 'zed and the g g1 in full more brought to the positions shown lines.

It will be seen that the arrangement for controlling the holding clutch consists of but a few simple parts which may be strongly made and which require no attention in order to insure their proper operation. By adjusting the stops 15 and 16, the extent through which the holding clutch may move, and therefore the length of arc, may be varied at will without in any way changin mechanism for the holding clutch performs its functions or the reliability with which it performs such functions.

The circuit connections of the lamp and the manner and method of controlling the feedin magnet may be varied to suit the type 0 lamp grammatically a wellknown arrangement of circuits and regulating devices which is in common use in lamps of the general type illustrated, and which may be used to advantage in lamps embodying the present invention. Thus, in addition to the main magnet 13, there are two other magnets, 23 and 24, which control, respectively, the contacts 25 and 26 of a cut-out switch for the main magnet. Magnet 23 has its coil in series with the electrodes, while magnet 24 is a shunt magnet which is connected directly across the line in series .with the coil of the main magnet. In the diagram the parts are shown in the positions which they occupy just as the two electrodes are brought into engagement with each other. It will be seen that at this time current flows from line 27 through resistance 28, through contacts 25, 26, through the coil of the main magnet, back to line 29. As soon as good contact is made between the two electrodes, however, current flows from line 27, through the coil of magnet 23, through the electrodes, and thence back to line '29. Magnet 23 is energized and lifts the contact 25 associated therewith, thereby opening the shunt around the magnet 24 so that the coil of the main magnet is now connected across the line in series with the high resistance shunt magnet. The main magnet is, therefore, no longer operatively energized, and it permits its armature 12 to drop and also permits the lower electrode to oscillate the lever 19 so as to carry the armature 21 away from the end of the; main magnet. When the arc breaks make it desirable to feed it the manner in which the operating I and the service to which it is to be put. In Fig. 2 I have shown diag stops between which the hol the opposite direction,

lifting clutch for e or becomes so long that itsresistance is sufficient to cause the magnet 24 to be operatively energized, contacts 25 and 26 are again brought into engagement with each other and another feeding operation is effected.

What -I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,' 1. In an arc lamp, a movable electrode, a lifting clutch and a holding clutch operating on said electrode to respectively move it in one direction and to fllmit the movement thereof in the opposite direction, a magnet for operating said lifting clutc and an auxiliary armature 'associated with said magnet for controlling said holding clutch; 2. In an arc lam a movable electrode, a lifting clutch and a holding clutch operating on said electrode to respectively move it in one direction and to limit its movement in and independent armatures associated. with saidmagnet to control said clutches.

3. In an arc, lamp, a movable electrode, a lifting clutch for moving said electrode in one'dlrection, a holdin clutch for limiting the movement of the e ectrode in the other direction an electromagnet having an armature for operating the lifting clutch, a second armature for the same electroma and means for supporting said hol ing clutch from said second armature.

4. In an arc lamp, a movable electrode, a

evating the electrode, a holding clutch for limiting the lowering movement of the electrode, upper and lower ing clutch is free to move, an electromagnet for operating said lifting clutch, and an auxiliary armature associated with said electromagnet and connected to the holding clutch to move it into engagement with the upper stop upon the energization of the electromagnet.

5. In an arc lamp, trode, a lifting clutch for raising said electrodeagainstthe action-of gravity, a holding clutch for limiting the lowering movement tli e 7 liftin g of the electrode,

upper and lower stops beholding clutch is free to an electromagnet for operating said clutch, an auxiliary armature assowith the electromagnet for movin tweenwhich the move, lifting ciated the holding clutch into engagement wit the-upper stop 'upon the energization of the electromagnet, and the holding clutch being carried into engagement with the lower stop he electrode upon the deenergization of electromagnet. I v

6. In an arc l'amn, a movable electrode,- a

clutch for movin the electrode in one direction, a holding 1% holding clutch for an electromagnet,

between which the a gravity-actuated elecutch for limiting the movement of the electrode in theopposite direction, one electromagnet for actuating both clutches, and a retarding device acting on said holding clutch independently of the lifting clutch.

7 In an arc lamp, a-movable electrode, a lifting clutch for elevating the electrode, a limiting the lowering movement of the electrode, upper and lower stop's between which the holding clutch 1s free to move, an electromagnet for operating said lifting clutch, and an auxiliary armature associated with said electromagnet and connected to the holding clutch to move it into engagement "with the upper stop upon the energization of the electroma et, and a retarding device acting on sai holding clutch independently of the lifting clutch for limiting the rate of movement of the holding clutchtowards the lower stop.

8. In an arc lamp, a gravity-actuated electrode, a lifting clutch for raising said electrode against the action of gravity, aeholding clutch for limiting the owermg movement of the electrode, upper and lower stops holding clutch is free to move, an electroma et for operating said lifting clutch,'an auxlliary armature assoc1-' ated with the electromagnet for moving the holding clutch into engagement with the upper stop upon the energization of the elec-- tromagnet and the holding clutch be ng carried into engagement with the lower sto by the electrode upon the denergization o the electromagnet, and a retarding device acting on said holding clutch inde endently of the lifting clutch for limitin t e rate of movement of the holding clutc towards the lower sto 9 In an arc lamp, a gravity-actuated electrode, a lifting clutch for raising the electrode, a floating holding-clutcharranged to move between upper and lower sto s, a retarding device connected to the ho ding clutch and arran ed to limit the rate of movement thereog toward the lower sto and an electromagnet for operatin the l1 ing clutch and for raisin the holding clutch into engagement with t e up r stop and into clutchin enga ement w1th the electrode, said ho ding c utch being moved mtoengagement with the lower stop by means of the electrode.

' In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of April, 1907.

GROMWELL A. B. HALVORSON, JR.

Witnesses:

Joma A. McMANUs,Jr., PHILIP F. HARRINGTON. 

